The present invention relates to emergency response systems, need more particularly to a flame cutting system useful in freeing trapped victims or in entering into or cutting away structures.
Rescue personnel, such as firemen, police, paramedics, etc. occasionally have to extricate people trapped within a structure, such as a car or a collapsed building. The “jaws of life” is a hydraulic tool that is used to extricate people trapped within a structure. The term “jaws of life” refers to several types of tools known as cutters and spreaders. A spreader is used to pull a structure apart. A spreader typically consists of a pair of arms that are inserted into the side of a vehicle or structure. A portable pump or other means is used to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid to the spreader, which causes the arms of the spreader to spread open forcing the side of the vehicle or the structure apart. Conversely, the spreader can also be used to clamp down on a structure to crush any material located between its arms. A cutter is used to cut through a structure like a pair of bolt cutters. However, instead of arms, a cutter typically has curved extensions. As pressurized hydraulic fluid is applied to the cutter, the curved extensions are driven together to cut through the structure.
However, the “jaws of life” are very expensive. A typical system may cost $25,000 or more. Consequently, many potential users of the “jaws of life” cannot afford to purchase them. In addition, the “jaws of life” have many mechanical parts that may fail. Furthermore, a source of hydraulic pressure is required to operate the tool. A loss of hydraulic pressure will render a “jaws of life” inoperative.
A need exists for a simple, low cost system that enables rescue workers to cut through vehicles and structures. In addition, a need exists for a system that may be transported easily to remote locations by rescue workers in standard rescue vehicles.